Richarlison says he has everything he needs at Everton to “grow and develop” as a footballer and wants to be involved in Carlo Ancelotti’s long-term plans.

Forward Richarlison has gained enormous popularity at Goodison Park following his summer 2018 move from Watford, the 23-year-old's startling work ethic and unflinching character endearing him to Evertonians as much as his reliable end product.

Back in December he signed extended terms to keep him with Everton until at least the end of 2023/24 – and weeks later was joined at the Club by manager Ancelotti.

Ancelotti has routinely employed Richarlison as a centre forward, adding the Brazilian to a starry roll call of strikers who have flourished under the ex-AC Milan and Real Madrid boss.

“I'm really happy at the Club, the fans really like me and I really like the Club,” said Richarlison.

“They've supported me since I arrived. I intend to play many more games, even more so now with the arrival of Ancelotti.

“He's always helping me. Everything's there for me to grow and develop within the Club.

“The manager is always talking to me.

“He's trained the greatest strikers in the world, Ronaldo and [former AC Milan hitman Andriy] Shevchenko, for example, and he says I'm in his top-10 list of best attackers.

“So I'm really happy to be training with Ancelotti, he's really experienced and well known in world football, with numerous trophies.

“I'm here to learn and he'll help me a lot here at the Club.”

Richarlison admits he couldn’t prevent a grin spreading across his face as he stepped back onto the Goodison turf to face Liverpool on Sunday.

More than three months away evidently did nothing to suppress the player's appetite for goals, Richarlison firing five attempts in the Merseyside derby – three more than any other player on the field.

He has 26 goals from 71 Everton appearances and is relishing his relocation from a wide position after caretaker boss Duncan Ferguson paired Richarlison with Dominic Calvert-Lewin during a stirring four-game reign.

It took Richarlison all of five minutes to score against Chelsea in Ferguson’s first game and 10 league appearances since Ancelotti’s arrival have yielded four goals.

Richarlison ultimately drew a blank against Liverpool – coming closest when compatriot Alisson beat out an angled drive towards the end – but insists the point earned from a 0-0 draw must act as a springboard for Everton to pursue European qualification.

Ancelotti’s side travel to Norwich City on Wednesday and have a further seven games to bridge an eight-point gap to Wolverhampton Wanderers in sixth.

“The good game we had against Liverpool gives us confidence and we'll certainly do everything to get the three points [at Norwich] because we need to move up the table and meet our objectives,” said Richarlison.

“We want to get in the Europa League.

"We can see we're close and we have a good run of games... we need to win as many points as possible.

“I was really looking forward to getting back to playing as soon as possible and I started smiling when I stepped on the pitch as I was so happy to be back.

“It was a really important game for us. We felt the [lack of] atmosphere without the fans, of course, but the important thing was that we were back and came back well.

“We were looking for a goal until the last minute.

“Unfortunately, it didn't come, it was minor details.

"I watched the game back when I got home and saw I could have passed to Alex [Iwobi, when Richarlison was denied by Alisson] but, unfortunately, I opted to shoot.

“But these things happen and are part of the game.”

Richarlison trained “every day” during lockdown but admits sleep was impossible the night before a video meeting with his football hero, legendary Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who had 18 months with Ancelotti at AC Milan from January 2007.

“I couldn't sleep the day before, because he's my idol,” added Richarlison.

“I've been following him since I was a little kid.

“I was a bit anxious about the meeting. It was a really happy moment and when he came online he could see I had a massive smile on my face.

“He's someone who has always inspired me, I watch videos of him before games.

"I was really happy with his call.

“Ancelotti managed Ronaldo at Milan. He talks about Ronaldo all the time, saying he was the best attacker he ever trained.

“Ronaldo's not just an inspiration for me but for many other attackers, too.”